The 24-race, 2025 Formula One season begins with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne this weekend. McLaren and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen start their respective defences of the constructors’ and drivers’ championships, with two free-practice sessions today ahead of qualifying tomorrow. Today: FP1 (9:30pm ET), FP2 (1am ET).

The first qualifying session of the year takes place on Saturday, March 15 at the Albert Park Circuit, but as a result of the dramatic time difference with the UK, qualifying is today in Melbourne! The Australian Grand Prix is opening the season this weekend, with Lewis Hamilton's grand prix debut with Ferrari being the main event.

While both George Russell and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli showed strong pace on longer runs with the harder C3 and C4 tire compounds, their one-lap pace was off what their rivals showed on Friday. Russell finished FP1 in P7,